


A Ceasefire

by Iambic



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 19:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iambic/pseuds/Iambic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sulu and Spock are not the likeliest of friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Ceasefire

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt at Dreamwidth community random_fic_is_random.

The odd morning will find Sulu and Spock in the mess, two white ceramic cups between then and a metallic pot to the side. Pavel likes to sit to the side and watch them, the relaxation that seems to hang in the steam and settle over the faces and shoulders of both men. They don't speak, except in occasional murmurs; they finish a pot of tea between them and then go their separate ways.

They probably wouldn't be friends if they had not been assigned to the same starship. And even then, they had not seemed likely to get along. Pavel worried, then, that they would grow to resent each other, after Sulu's face darkened with humiliation and he 'punched it' properly that first day.

(Then Kirk happened, of course, and suddenly that one incident seemed so much less of a threat.)

Pavel isn't sure when Sulu and Spock started drinking tea together. He suspects it might have been Sulu's overture, an effort to better get to know his First Officer. Or maybe Spock wanted to cultivate a better working relationship with the pilot, so as to better concentrate his patience with their captain. Pavel imagines they started out awkwardly, Spock entirely silent, Sulu attempting to make conversation, nothing but empty air hanging between them. And then maybe Spock, deducting that the encounter was not going as planned, mentioned the Vulcan leaf he had obtained before Vulcan's destruction. Maybe Sulu in desperation had pulled out his kettle and offered to brew a cup. Something worked, then. And here they are, now.

Sometimes Pavel wonders why he enjoys watching them so much. He's not a fan of tea himself, not really fond of sitting still and silent. He likes Sulu better when he's telling stories, cracking jokes, folding bits of paper into new shapes and throwing them at Kirk or Uhura when they're not paying attention. He likes Spock better when he's reciting the information they need to know, giving the orders that don't occur to Kirk, making subtle jabs at McCoy.

But he likes seeing them at peace, too. That must be it.

After a few minutes, he'll run out of patience or attention. Then, if some incident doesn't kill the moment before then, Pavel will leave them to their tea.


End file.
